USM Regents to Act on Proposed Programs at Bowie State and Towson, Vote on Revision to Undergraduate Admissions Policy

Adelphi, Md. (Nov. 30, 2009) - The
University System of Maryland (USM) Board of Regents at its next meeting will take
action on proposed academic programs at Bowie State and Towson universities and
vote on a revision to the policy on undergraduate admissions.

The
board also will vote on the Salisbury University 2009 facilities master plan
update and hear a
report on opening fall 2009 enrollment figures.

The
public session is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. Friday, December 4, at the
Horn Point Laboratory at the University of Maryland Center for Environmental
Science (UMCES). The center is located at 2020 Horns Point Road, Cambridge MD,
21613.

The primary recommended change to
the undergraduate admissions policy is the addition of a fourth mathematics
course. Under the proposed revision, students who have completed Algebra II
before their final year would be required to complete course(s) that include
"nontrivial" algebra during the last year of high school enrollment.

The recommendation was developed
by a committee comprising faculty, admissions and enrollment management
professionals and representatives from the Maryland State Department of
Education. If approved at a later meeting of the Board of Regents, the policy
would be effective for students entering ninth grade in 2011.

The current Salisbury University
Facilities Master Plan (FMP) is an update of the 2003 FMP, which focused on
student housing and residence life. Since the plan's approval in 2003, numerous
campus construction and renovation projects have been undertaken, including the
new Teacher Education and Technology Center. In summer 2009, the university's
comprehensive housing renovation project began and will continue during the
next five years.

Other
action items before the board include:

An authorization for increased resources to
support renovation and addition work at the Towson Center Arena at Towson
University;

A request for authorization to construct an
environmental information center at the University of Maryland Center for
Environmental Science;

A request for authorization to construct an
addition to and perform a renovation of Van Munching Hall at the R.H. Smith
School of Business.

The regents will hear reports from the councils of university system presidents,
faculty, staff, and students. After the public meeting, the board will meet in
executive session.

Background
information and agendas will be available at the meeting. Sign language
interpreters and/or other appropriate accommodations for eligible individuals
with disabilities will be provided upon request. Please call 301.445.2756
(voice) or 301.314.7683 (TTY/ITT) for special arrangements.